STEM Education Graduate Programs Brief Overview

More complete information about degree programs and requirements can be found on the Master's and Doctoral web pages.

We do not offer online degrees.

Ph.D.

• The STEM Education Ph.D. is designed for students who are preparing for research careers.
• 72 hours of coursework (including dissertation) are required for the degree, 15 of which are graduate coursework in a discipline area (science, mathematics, engineering).  The discipline content hours may be waived for students who have a masters degree in a content area (e.g., mathematics, not mathematics education).
• Although it is technically possible for full time students (i.e., those not otherwise employed) to complete the degree in three years (6 semesters), 4-5 years is much more common, particularly for students without a masters degree. 
• The Ph.D. degree requires active engagement with faculty and a research group on campus, and therefore it is not usually recommended for students who are working full time or not in residence at UT Austin.
• Although some GRA positions are available, they are typically reserved for students who have already participated in pilot studies or faculty research support.

MA: Master's with Thesis

• The master's with thesis is intended for students who want to develop their potential as researchers and move into leadership positions in education.
• It requires 12 hours of graduate coursework in a discipline content area, which may be waived for students with a masters degree in a STEM discipline (e.g., physics or chemistry, not science education).
• Students completing a master's with thesis typically take 3 years to complete the degree.
• This master's degree is not designed for students seeking certification as teachers.

MA: Masters with Report (Summer only)/Masters with No Thesis-No Report (Academic Year and Summer)

• The Master's with Report and Master's with No Thesis No Report are intended to be terminal degrees for students who want to develop themselves as teachers or move into leadership positions in teaching or curriculum development.
• These degrees are designed with working teachers in mind and coursework is scheduled so that it can typically be completed in the evening or during summers.
• Under the no thesis-no report option, it is possible to accrue the 18 hours of graduate coursework in a discipline area needed to satisfy dual enrollment and community college teaching requirements.
• For mathematics, three graduate courses specifically designed with the needs of teachers in mind, with minimal prerequisites, are typically scheduled every summer. These courses typically meet three hours a day for a limited time block (typically over a 3-4 week period).
• Students taking courses during the academic year can complete the NTNR masters degree in 2 years. Those taking courses in the summer can complete either degree in three summers with 1 online course during each long semester in the intervening years.
• Housing support stipends may be available for out of town students pursuing the summer option.
• These master's degrees are not designed for students seeking certification as teachers.

M. Ed.: We offer M.Ed degrees to students who complete the requirements for our M.A. degrees but also have a current teaching certificate.

TA and GRA positions: TAships are available on a limited, competitive basis. Students who do not have more than three years teaching experience are advised to take some version of the 398T course as the graduate school requires it for AI’s and our department strongly encourages it for TAs. GRA positions are sometimes available for students with research experience. It is strongly recommended that students complete an independent study or have independent research experience with a faculty supervisor prior to applying for a GRA.